Notes

Introduction

Liz Lochhead uses literary techniques in “The Choosing” to suggest that our lives are often shaped by the choices others made for us. In the poem Lochhead and her friend start out life as “equals” but after primary school, Lochhead goes on to go to high school but Mary left because Mary’s dad didn’t believe in high school education for girls. Liz Lochheads dad did believe in a high school education so the two identical friends parted. One went on to high school and education, suggested by her “books” and Mary went on to being a wife and a mother, suggested by “the full shaped vase that is her body”. Ten years later on the bus Liz saw Mary. She was with a man Liz Lochhead presumed him to be her husband. She had a baby on the way by the looks of it and her husband only had eyes for her and you could tell the difference between her and Liz. Liz had her arms full of books and is alone on the bus and Mary was pregnant and married. And now you could see the difference between the two girls Liz Lochhead and Mary, due to the choices made by their parents.
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P In the poem Lochhead uses different techniques to suggest the she and her friend started off as equals in life. EV Lochhead uses repetition of “coloured” in “the same coloured ribbons in mouse coloured hair”. EX This suggests that the two girls look the same. She also repeats “equal” in “equal shyness”, “equally proud” and “cleverest (equal)”.To suggest that both girls had similar personalities and we clever. Lochhead is trying to show that both girls had the same start and potential in life.

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P Liz Lochhead uses literary techniques to show the turning point in the girls’ lives. EV The contrast in, “same houses, different homes” suggests that both families had very different values. Lochhead reveals in stanza four that Mary’s father, “didn’t believe in High School education/especially for girls”. EX This suggests that he thinks females should not be treated equally to men. P Lochhead uses a regular rhyme scheme in stanza three. EV The only part in the poem, to highlight the words stayed/made, and went/rent. EX This suggests that this was the turning point in the girls lives when Mary moved away and left school.

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P Liz Lochhead uses literary techniques to show the difference between the two girls ten years later when Lochhead sees Mary on the bus with her husband. EV The metaphor “her arms around the full shaped vase that is her body”. EX This suggests that Mary is pregnant. P The repetition of “full” in “my arms full of books”. EX This suggests that Mary’s life is full of family and Lochheads life is full of education.

Conclusion

In conclusion Lochhead did succeed in conveying her belief that often our lives are shaped for us by the choices others made for us. Which Lochhead suggests is a negative impact on our lives. Form reading this poem I learned about how life can be unfair sometimes and how some girls aren’t given as much of a possible education to be able to have a stable job because some people made choices for them.